Calais Port 2015

With the Calais Port 2015 project, Bouygues Travaux Publics has led the largest port construction project in Europe in the last decade. The aim was to anticipate the growth in cross-channel traffic and the arrival of ever larger ferries. To achieve this, a new 177-hectare basin was created, protected by a 3.2-kilometre sea wall. Its construction required nearly 17,000 X-blocs®, concrete blocks moulded in sizes ranging from 4 to 12 m³, whose X-shape enables them to withstand swells while dissipating wave energy.

Manufactured on site in a factory specially designed for the project, they were installed using innovative technologies such as echoscopes and the POSIBLOC™ system, ensuring millimetre precision and increased safety for the teams. Three new berths and 65 hectares of land – including 45 hectares reclaimed from the sea – complete this colossal development.

The project incorporated a significant environmental component to preserve the natural balance of the coastline: creation of a quiet area for birds, installation of a bird observatory and creation of artificial habitats for marine wildlife along the sea wall and inside the port. This approach illustrates a strong conviction: every piece of infrastructure must be designed to promote resilience and biodiversity. Combining technical innovation and environmental integration, the port of Calais is redefining the relationship between humans and the sea, for the benefit of the region and future generations.